Sir Alex reveals four current PL players he’d love to work with and expresses his regret at missing out on Gazza deal

Former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed the four current Premier League players he’d love to work with, as well as expressing his regret at missing out on England legend Paul Gascoigne.

The now-retired 79-year-old won 38 major trophies after taking charge of the Red Devils in 1986, including two Champions League triumphs and a staggering 13 Premier League titles.

Cemented as arguably the greatest manager in top-flight history, if not of all time, the Scotsman called time on his illustrious managerial career back in 2013, with United having undoubtedly suffered a real dip in the eight years since.

After such a stellar career in the dugout, the former Aberdeen boss would likely have few regrets, although he did reveal that Paul Gascoigne was one player he wished he had been able to manage, having missed out on his signature in the summer of 1988, the then Newcastle United midfielder going on to sign for Tottenham Hotspur instead.

“Gascoigne, without question,” Ferguson said in an interview with SportBible. “I think he was the best English player since Bobby Charlton. I think he was a fantastic player.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t get him and I think, looking back now, he made a big mistake. He recognised it himself years later.

“But we had Geordies in the camp. We had Bobby Charlton, Bryan Robson, Steve Bruce, even Gary Pallister from Middlesbrough.

“We had people there who would have taken care of him, particularly Bryan Robson who is fantastic with players.

“Instead, he goes to an island in London, and you’re easily swallowed up there as a young lad. I think that was a big mistake by him.

“He was a marvellous player. I loved his strength. We played Newcastle up there and he had just come back from injury.

“As soon as he came back, they started winning games. I played three in the middle of the pitch – Whiteside, Robson and Remi Moses and he destroyed them.

“He nutmegged Moses right in front of the dugout and patted him on the head.

“He was unbelievable and I said to [former Man Utd chairman] Martin Edwards on the way home: ‘Sign this boy. Get on the phone to him on Monday.’

“And by that time, he had already done a deal with Tottenham, which was really unfortunate.

“That was a disappointment because he agreed to sign [for United] and then Tottenham changed his mind by buying his mother and father a house.”

He also went on to add the four players out of the current crop of Premier League talent that he would have loved to manage, three of whom all play for current strugglers, Spurs.

“Kane [is one]. I thought Alli was going to be a top player. I must admit, I don’t know what has gone on there.

“Kane and the boy Son at Tottenham, these have been excellent players.

“Aguero has been a terrific striker, there’s no doubt about that. His goal-scoring has been exceptional.

“The top teams will always produce a player that can stand out.”

Ferguson is currently promoting a new documentary film about his life, ‘Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In’, which is due to be released on May 29.

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